Tokyo Ghoul: Hunger
by Inari Aono
Summary: Hunger symbolizes the danger of losing control, of being consumed by power. It also implies strength, but strength which comes through dominance. It is not true power, but the pure bliss of abusing power. Rize is on a journey to regain the missing pieces of her past, but first she must regain her strength. She encounters a rookie Dove who may be a valuable ally for her quest. AU
1. Prelude to Hunger

"Are you really going to leave her behind?" Touka questioned Renji. His silence was broken by her alarming concern, "She'll die!"

"Rize's too dangerous. Her presence would only alarm more Doves and there are enough of them swarming this ward as it is," he cautioned. "But this is just-"she objected. "It's for the best Touka."

Their voices reverberated through the container and roused their prisoner back to reality. Her once beautifully lush, lavender hair was now a dried out mess that hung over her empty purple eyes. She was but a shadow of her former self surrounded by steel walls blanketed in darkness. After being kept in the dark for so long, the moon's light was disorienting the moment Renji opened the door to his fragile captive. He held a package with a familiar alluring scent that appealed to a ghoul's appetite.

Rize immediately knew what the package contained causing her mouth to salivate. The pungent smell of iron and raw flesh lured her to the towering male only to be pulled back by the chains that bound her. To be so close to the food that she yearned for only to be denied by her weakness from starvation. Her eyes were ablaze with the need to sate her voracious appetite as she called out to the one thing that was on her mind.

"Meat! MEAT! Give it to me! I NEED IT! MEEEEEEEAT!" she shouted. Rize lunged and crawled with all her might, but the harder she tried to free herself, the more strength she lost until she lied on the floor sobbing like a child after their tantrum was ignored. Renji's dark eyes held pity for her. He tossed the flesh patty at a distance close enough to where she could reach. Within seconds, the ghoulish female was devouring it, savoring the sweet taste of blood as it danced upon her pallet and caked her mouth in red.

"I don't know if you'll remember any of this, but this is the last time you'll see me. Farewell, Rize," Renji said closing the container behind him. The woman lifted her head from her morsel to see the light fading before her eyes and fear began to hold its grip. "W-wait! Don't leave me here! Don't leave me…," she panicked on the verge of tears.

The moment Renji left, Touka creaked open the door to leave another helping of meat for Rize. "Good luck…," she said as she left to follow her companion. Foolishly, the prisoner began to devour her rations, but that foolishness led to discovery. She remembered who she was.

 ** _"_** ** _Fufufu, so this is what I've been reduced to? I'm no better than a commoner scrounging for meat!"_** Rize thought. She sat up from primal position feeling a portion of her strength returning. She flexed her back muscles whilst pulling her arms against her restraints. "Just a bit more…!" she struggled. The pores of her lower back opened and formed four tentacles of her kagune that broke her chains. Rize then carved her way out with her additional appendages to find herself in a storage district not far from the 20th ward.

After concealing her kagune, she took advantage of her tattered looks to play the part of the victim once she entered the city. A concerned citizen called out to her. "Miss, are you alright?" He was an average man, not very appealing, but he was walking heap of meat. Rize took the opportunity to play the damsel in distress. "Please help me! I've been robbed!" she cried clinging to his coat. "Don't worry. I'll notify the police to investigate this matter. Why don't you come with me to somewhere safe?" the man said in a reassuring manner.

She followed the man until they passed a dark alley where she began to initiate her predatory instincts. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck with a catlike grin spreading across her face. "M-miss…?" he said feeling flattered. "Mmm~ I feel so _safe_ in the arms of a big, strong man~" Rize's voice held a sultry, velvet tone that would make a man weak at the knees. The man foolishly embraced his predator and like all prey, he fell into her trap. " _Guh…!_ " Her crimson tentacles ripped into his flesh. Three of them were used to puncture him ensuring his death was swift and silent. She gave a light cackle as she stirred up the insides of her meal. "Fufu~ It's nothing personal! After all, at the end of the day, a girl's gotta eat! Riiiight~?" Rize's kagune began to skewer and prod away at the man's flesh. His blood cakes her bare feet and forms a shape akin to the Roman numeral "XI."

Covered in blood, the huntress grazed her tongue against her stained fingers to savor the warm taste of sanguine fluids. **_"_** ** _Oh dear, I've made such a mess of myself! After I get cleaned up, who should be my next prey~?"_**


	2. Thirteen

**The following story is a work of fanfiction. Tokyo Ghoul is owned by FUNimation, Viz Media, and Sui Ishida.**

 **Before the Torso investigation, before the formation of the Quinx Squad, there was the 20** **th** **Ward extermination. The Doves surround the once peaceful district, killing every ghoul that foolishly resisted their vast numbers. The smarter ones went into hiding or moving into less hostile wards. Among them was one who narrowly escaped Yomo's prison amidst the slaughter. One who was probably the cause of the Doves' attention in the first place due to her gluttonous tendencies, the Binge Eater. This is a tale of her "missing years."**

 **Chapter 1: Thirteen**

It's been two days since Rize escaped Renji's settlement. Her once voluptuous body is now thinned from malnutrition. A result of being fed scraps under the watch of her scowling "caretaker." She is but a shadow of her former self, the once proud black widow drifting from place to place leaving a trail of bodies wherever she roamed. Rize dined well on her last victim, but it was nowhere near enough to sate her appetite. She sat in the sanctity of her apartment rereading Sen Takatsuki's "The Black Goat's Egg." Her nimble fingers glide across the pages as she reads, recalling a memory of the day she returned to her apartment.

 _Rize enters the foyer of the 20_ _th_ _ward apartment complex she resides in. The embittered landlord sits at the front desk reading the newspaper whilst listening to the current events on the television. Upon hearing Rize's entrance, the landlord snaps at her absentee tenant for the overdue rent fees she has accrued._

 _"_ _Kamishiro! Where the hell have you been!? Your rent is past due!" motioned the angry old landlady pointing the rolled up paper at her resident. She was going to continue her tirade until she noticed the young woman's disheveled appearance. "Goodness, you look like hell! What happened?"_

 _The old woman was right of course, Rize always prided herself on her good looks and fashion sense, but the state she was in begged to differ. She was clad in rags and her once violet locks now a bedraggled mess. There was also the fact that she was barefoot. Seeing her landlady's surprise at her current state, Rize decided to put her deception to use and play the part of the victim._

 _She welled up tears and choked up a few sobs as she told her "story," "Oh, it was just terrible! I've been kidnapped!"_

 _"_ _Kidnapped!?" replied the landlady incredulously. Her stern expression softened at the mention of the word._

 _"_ _Hic…! Y-yes… By ghouls! They wanted to…to auction me off! And then…and then-" Rize trailed off into stifled sobs adding more depth to her story. The old woman rushed over to the young ghoul's side to share her sympathy. She gripped Rize's hand as if to soothe her, completely buying into her story. "Hush, child! It must've been rough. It's okay now! Why don't you go up to your room and rest?"_

 _Rize sniffled, still playing her role, "But what about the rent..?"_

 _"_ _Forget about it! I'll make due somehow. Go on now!" smiled the landlord giving her tenant a reassuring nod. Rize returned the gesture with tearstained smile as she made her way to the elevator. As the doors shut, a devious grin spread across her cheeks. "Hehe, too easy. Humans are so easy to fool."_

Rize continued to read Takatsuki's novel after turning on the news. She tuned in to the current events while not even bothering to lift her purple eyes from the page. The main topic of course, is the CCG incursion of the 20th ward. She closed her book shut and glanced out the window to see the Doves on patrol. "Hmm, looks like it's not safe here anymore. A shame really." Rize muttered to herself.

Her mind began to wander about the day of the "accident" and later transitions to the faint memory of her being Dr. Kanou's test subject. She couldn't remember much after that, but she needed answers. Why her? The answers could be here, but it's too dangerous to snoop around the way she is now. _"I have to get stronger."_ she thought. Her stomach growls at her resolve. If she wants to get back to her full strength and more, she needs to eat. But this isn't the place. Rize couldn't risk making a scene the way things are now. It was time for a new hunting ground.

As a wanderer she always traveled light. All she did was gather her essentials in a duffle bag: clothing, beauty products, the usual. They play a crucial part to her disguise. Most importantly, she stored her precious books in her briefcase. After her packing was completed, Rize pulled out a map that she kept hidden in the spine of "The Black Goat's Egg." It was a map of all the wards of Tokyo and on it were red marks representing the places she had already visited.

 _"_ _Now, where should I go to kill my boredom?"_ she pondered as her lavender pools scan the map for her new residence. Picking a new settlement was part of the fun for a drifter, but she is a woman of refined taste. As long as it has good coffee and a bookstore, her scholarly needs would be satisfied. It was within moments that she found what she was looking for when a commercial announced a new café opening in the 13th ward. A predatory smile perched on her lips at her discovery. _"The 13_ _th_ _Ward huh~?"_

xxx

Elsewhere at the 13th Ward's CCG branch office, the Suzuya Squad spent their shift diligently going through case files of ongoing investigations. It was quiet for the most part, but the tranquil silence was quelled when Investigator Tamaki exhaled a loud sigh of boredom.

"This sucks! Boss, why are we going through boring paperwork when it's close to quittin' time?" Mizurou complained. The 22 year old Dove laid his head on his paperwork while covertly pulling out his handheld console. "I'd rather be playing video games…"

"That's because you're lazy." Keijin jabbed. Mizurou looked at his superior with a winged brow, "You pickin' a fight _Vice_ -Squad Leader?"

The young vice-squad leader merely smiled at Tamaki's remark while the calm Miyuki simply daydreamed his shift away. Hanbee being the voice of reason for his comrades, gesticulated his hands to calm the situation before it escalated.

"Now, now guys. Settle down. Can't you see that Suzuya-senpai is trying to concentrate?" Hanbee pleaded wearing a troubled expression on his pale face.

"Come to think of it, you've been staring at that page for a while now boss, something on your mind?" Mizurou asked as his thumbs fiddle away at the game that currently occupies his attention.

The easygoing squad leader yawned sorting through his own set of papers. It was clear that the day was long for him as well. He only shrugged before he spoke, "Not really. Just prepping myself to interview a new transfer investigator."

"A newbie? Great." Keijin said unimpressed.

"I hope it's a girl!" Mizurou grinned. There was a collective sigh following after his desire which only led him to feel uncomfortable. "W-What? I can't be the only one thinking this, right!?"

There was a knock on the door. "Guess that's my cue. Hanbee, get me my pudding." Juuzou said not looking up from his papers to which his partner replied with a "Right away sir."

"Come in!" the squad leader beckoned. Shortly after his invitation, the door opens.


	3. Fitting In

**Chapter 2: Fitting In**

"Come in!" Juuzou beckoned the newcomer. The squad eagerly awaited to see the identity of their new recruit. The door opens to reveal a young man in his late teens followed by disappointed sighs with the exception of Juuzou and Hanbee.

"You just _had_ to jinx it!" Keijin whispered to Mizurou as he made a subtle point to the new investigator. Mizurou only responded with a shrug as he turned his attention back to his game.

"Uh, pardon my intrusion! I'm Rank 3 Investigator Jin Soujiro. I'll be transferring here to assist you with your cases from here on out." Jin said meekly. He is an older teen of average height dressed in a black suit for formalities. Jin shyly rubbed the back of his short, black-blue hair as a tense silence filled the room. It didn't take long to diffuse the tension with Suzuya and Hanbee standing up to greet the newcomer.

"You must be my new boss. I've heard a lot about your bravery. It's an honor to meet you Mr. Suzuya!" Jin smiled with his hand extended to greet Hanbee. "It's a pleasure to meet you Soujiro, but I believe you are mistaken." Hanbee replied shaking his hand while motioning to his partner, " _He's_ the leader of the Suzuya Squad. I'm Rank 1 Investigator Hanbee Abara." Juuzou only smiled at the mistake while the rest of the squad snickered at the rookie.

"Wha-!? I'm so sorry!" Jin bowed in apology. "I've only heard stories about you sir, I'm sorry for mistaking you for someone else!" he bowed a second time.

"Get a load of Hanbee #2!" Keijin nudged Mizurou. Miyuki was actually enjoying the nervous antics of the new guy over his daydreaming.

The young squad leader gave the newbie a soft smile, waving off the mistake as something trivial. "Don't sweat it. Let's talk about your role here over some pudding, alright Souji?"

"Y-Yes!" Jin replied with much enthusiasm before winging a brow at his nickname. "Souji, sir?"

Juuzou sat behind his desk with his pudding cup in hand, pleased at the gentle touch Hanbee used to open it. "Yup! Soujiro's a mouthful to say and Jin sounds too plain, so why not a nickname?" He then proceeded to enjoy a spoonful of his gelatinous pudding as it danced upon his pallet, resulting in a sound of delight. Souji only nodded, accepting his new name.

Keijin and Mizurou didn't seem too receptive in welcoming their new colleague and made their way to the door with Miyuki following. "Boss, we'll leave you to interview the newbie. We're going to do one last patrol before calling it a night."

"Right. Good work guys." Juuzou answered with a mouth full of pudding as he waved his men off. With that, the vice-squad leader and his party went on patrol ignoring introductions with Souji.

He felt a bit discouraged at the fact that he didn't leave a positive impression on the rest of the squad. Juuzou noticed this and decided to put the youth's mind at ease. "Don't worry about Keijin and the others. They'll come around, just give them time."

Souji gave a slight smile along with an affirming nod, "Yes, sir." The quirky squad leader continued to scoop his dessert as he continued to speak, "Besides, it took them awhile to get used to Hanbee here. You'll do fine!"

"S-Suzuya-senpai!" shouted an embarrassed Hanbee. Juuzou chuckled at his quip much to his partner's chagrin. Souji could feel the tension lift from his chest getting to know his new leader, despite his quirks. He had stitches on his face and torso and wore a set of mix-matched suspenders, it's no wonder the young investigator couldn't help but stare at the Roman numeral twenty on his lip.

His stare was broken when Juuzou started to speak, "So newbie, tell us a little about yourself!"

xxx

Meanwhile, Rize left her room to the foyer of her former apartment. The landlady noticed that her bags were packed as she approached the young woman.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked.

"Yes. After all that's happened to me, I just don't feel safe here anymore…" Rize answered feigning sadness. It wasn't a total lie, continuing her indulgence within this ward would be dangerous.

The old woman frowned at Rize's words, but she understood. To her, it took great strength to move forward despite all that her tenant's been through. She didn't press the matter any further, instead she wrapped her arms around the young woman in a warm hug. Upon releasing her, the landlady looked up at Rize with a motherly smile. "Take care of yourself, dear."

The wandering ghoul returned the gesture to the woman's surprise and whispered a "you too" before parting ways. The Binge Eater managed to wade through the CCG forces without raising any suspicion to herself and was able to board a train to the 13th Ward. It was cramped like most forms of public transportation, but she was used to it due to her roaming lifestyle.

It didn't take long until her body yearned for another taste of flesh. She was surrounded by walking husks of meat. Her stomach growled at the thought of feeding, but not yet. Now wasn't the time to reveal her true colors in a place as public as this. Humans on the other hand, are foolish creatures. One of the passengers saw this crowded car as an opportunity to place his grubby hands on unsuspecting females.

Their looks of discomfort and yelps of surprises lured Rize's attention from her book. What a disgusting male. She had her suspicions of what was occurring next to her, but continued to read nonchalantly. That was until the male foolish enough to put his hands upon her. Little did that boar of a man know, he was in the presence of a lioness. She could see the look on his perverted face through the window's reflection and while every instinct in her body wanted to disembowel him, she decided to that she would take her dinner to go.

A conniving smirk painted her features as she used her free hand to guide the fool to her hip. "Hey, mister… Why touch when you can have the _real thing~_?" Rize's voice was smooth like velvet, a trademark she used to seduce many men to become her meal. And like luring a fish to the hook, the man took the bait. He was arrogant and chuckled at the invitation, whispering in Rize's ear about the "fun" they were going to have.

xxx

Back at Juuzou's office, Souji continued to answer his squad leader's questions. He nodded between bites of his sweets, but was quite serious at getting to know his new subordinate. His crimson eyes made direct eye contact with Souji's azure hues as if he was trying to study the young investigator.

"Tell me something, Souji." Juuzou began to inquire, "Why did you become a Ghoul Investigator?

The rookie paused for a moment. Juuzou's question took him by surprise, but with a soft smile he gave his answer. "My…parents were Doves stationed at the 20th Ward. You probably never heard of them, but they were a part of the Anteiku Raid." Juuzou remained silent, recalling the horrors that occurred that night. He nodded as a confirmation to allow the boy to continue. "They tried to hold the line until reinforcements came, but they…"

"It's okay, Souji…" Juuzou's voice softened. Empathy was written on his face. Hanbee also felt his heartstrings being tugged.

Souji cleared his throat in an effort to regain his composure. He took a deep breath before he continued to speak. "Look, I have an older sister who lives here. I became a Dove not only to protect her, but to do my part as an able-bodied citizen." The youth's eyes were lit with determination and his answer put a smile on his superior's face.

"Heh, well said. You start tomorrow 9AM sharp. Don't be late! You're dismissed!" smirked the stitched Squad Leader.

Hearing Juuzou's approval filled Souji with excitement as he ran out the office screaming with joy. Juuzou watched the boy run down the sidewalk giving off a light chuckle while Hanbee poured tea for the two of them.

"What an interesting fellow that Soujiro boy is." Hanbee commented.

"Yeah, he's got a spark. Things'll get livelier from here on out." Juuzou smiled taking a sip. _"To protect, huh?"_

xxx

The train halted to a stop at the 13th Ward station. The lion and her prey disembarked to a more secluded location. Rize's feet stopped them at an all but abandoned alleyway. The piles of junk and trash obscured visibility from prying eyes which she found _perfect_.

"So, how we doin' this sweet cheeks?" smirked Rize's prey. Completely ensnared by her web, Rize began to spin one last thread.

"Right here of course~ Hotels are expensive." she sported a lascivious grin.

"In a trash heap by a crappy udon restaurant?" the man raised a brow.

"What can I say? I'm a _dirty girl~_ " Rize cooed sauntering over to the unsuspecting male. She gave a gentle blow into his ear that made him shiver and aroused his desire for her.

"Dirty girls need to be punished~" he grinned. Rize placed a finger on his lips to shush him as she succumbed to the animalistic urge that slumbered within her.

"No…the one who needs punishment is _you_." Chomp. Blood came flooding down the man's neck accompanied by the seething pain of suddenly losing a heap of flesh. He wanted to scream, he _had_ to scream. He had to make some sort of noise to not only alleviate his agony, but to alert help as well.

"You had this coming, you know? It's all because you couldn't keep your hands to yourself." she mocked, licking his blood off her bottom lip.

Oh, how Rize enjoyed this moment. The shock in her victims' eyes and the look of betrayal they gave her. She missed it dearly. Before he could scream, the finger Rize used to hush him under her seduction turned into a full on palm that tightened on his jaws, slowly breaking it in her grasp as she savored every pop that muffled his screams.

"Shh~ now, now no yelling. We don't want anyone to ruin our fun now would we~?" Her violet eyes shifted into the luminescent gaze of a predator. She pulled him closer as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear, a frightfully exciting experience.

"Hey… I'm going to gently scramble your insides, okay?" A rhetorical question. Lions do not concern themselves with the opinions of sheep. Her blood began to boil, manifesting her four tentacle-like kagune which terrified her victim to no end. She removed her hand from his broken jaw and within that instant he tried to make a run for it, only to be impaled from behind by one of Rize's tentacles. His blood stained the trash around him while two more limbs brought him over to her. "Nobody is going to miss scum like you…" Rize whispered, tearing away at his insides, but from a distance. She didn't want to stain her clothes just yet since she's looking for a place to stay.

Despair filled the man's eyes until he was welcomed by Death's sweet embrace. It was at that moment Rize began to fully enjoy her lavish meal. It's been a long time since she ate something this hearty and to her surprise, the backdoor of a nearby restaurant opened and out came a worker on his smoke break. He witnessed Rize in the middle of her feast and before his panic could set in, he too, fell prey to her claws. "Oh boy~" she smiled. " _Seconds!_ "


	4. A Chance Encounter

**Chapter 3: A Chance Encounter**

The sun began to set as the three members of the Suzuya Squad concluded their patrol and settled down for dinner at a ramen shop. Mizurou lazily leaned his torso against the table while heaving an exhausted sigh. "Man, what was HQ thinking sending a newbie like Soujiro to help us?" he inquired looking through the menu that sat in front of him.

"Orders are orders. It can't be helped, but he must have _some_ skill since they sent him here. What do you guys think of him?" Keijin replied.

"Are you kidding? He was practically fumbling at his introduction! There's no way I want him watching my back!" Mizurou protested.

After ordering their meal there was a brief silence between the three of them until Miyuki decided to say his piece. "The newbie does seem capable."

His words surprised his teammates. It wasn't often that Miyuki comes out of his little world aside from work and food, let alone speak praises of people.

"What makes you so sure?" said Mizurou unconvinced.

As their orders arrived, the large man hunched forward with a stern expression on his usual airheaded face. "His eyes."

"His _eyes_?" Keijin repeated.

Miyuki solemnly nodded. "He may seem like a scatterbrain to you, but something tells me that kid is stronger than he looks."

"Huh. Guess we'll have to wait and see." Mizurou shrugged taking a bite out of his pork cut.

"Back to the business at hand guys. Any luck in finding new leads on the Tsujigiri?" spoke the vice squad leader sipping his green tea.

"Apart from the fact they attack at night like most ghouls? Nothing solid yet." Miyuki replied.

"Who knows? The sun went down. Maybe we'll get lucky tonight. After all, it'd be nice to question at least one of them." Mizurou added.

The remaining Suzuya Squad spent their evening eating and drinking, but unknown to them, there was a new ghoul in town.

xxx

"Delicious! So delicious!" Rize exclaimed whilst dining on her lifeless victims. Her mouth was drenched in the life-giving nutrients that was human blood. In the midst of her gluttony, her white blouse became painted in crimson. It mattered not to the ghoul at this point because her desire to feed overpowered her sense of reason.

"More! _More!_ " Rize ate with reckless abandon staying true to the moniker the CCG gave her as she delighted herself with human gore. However, her blissful hedonism came to an end when she became interrupted by two masked individuals.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here! A tourist!" scoffed one of the masked strangers nudging his colleague.

"And she's enjoying herself on our turf!" answered the other. "Look lady, if you're going to barge in on our turf you gotta pay the toll!"

Rize clicked her tongue at the unwanted company. She licked her lips to savor the drop of blood that hung on her tiers. She was just getting to the best part, but some things never change. A girl can never get privacy when she truly needed it and that annoyed her to no end.

"Pay the toll, you say?" she asked taking a defiant stand.

"You heard me! You wanna walk outta here alive then cough up those meatbags you're eating!" demanded the opposing ghoul conjuring his bladed kagune from his right shoulder. His companion followed suit by mustering his own in an attempt to threaten the Binge Eater.

"Huhu. Don't make me laugh!" Rize giggled taking a step forward. Her four crimson limbs linger at the ready to defend her person. "You know, I _hate_ it when someone interrupts me when I'm eating." To reiterate her souring mood, Rize removed her glasses to fire a menacing glare at her aggressors. " **It pisses me off**." She was angry of course, but she also felt confident. Each time she fed, she felt her strength returning. " _Surely it should be more than enough to silence these fools."_ she pondered.

One of the ghouls took a step back fearing to incur the vicious woman's wrath much to his comrade's disappointment. "Don't tell me you're afraid of her?"

"Your friend here is very wise… Unlike _you_." Rize jabbed. Her provocation was the perfect bait to see how her kagune dealt with ghouls as her opponent gave into his anger.

"You bitch! I'll kill you and take your dinner for myself!"

He charged Rize head on. _Too easy_. A close quarters koukaku against a long range rinkaku is a prime example of Darwinism at its finest. A brutal fact the Binge Eater gladly shared as she ran him through with her pointed tendrils. _Several_ times. Her enemy's death was quick, but messy.

She then turned to face the remaining ghoul who was about to turn tail and run. He was fast, but she was faster. Rize used her four limbs to lift her off the ground to gracefully land in front of her target like a lion cornering an elk.

The masked ghoul trembled in the corner of the alleyway with terror in his eyes. His hands were raised as if he was pleading for mercy. Rize considered leniency, but the possibility of him having more friends seemed too risky to chance. Trusting her survival instincts in a new territory, Rize silenced the cowering ghoul as well.

It wasn't much of a challenge for her. She has either gotten stronger or those two ghouls were considerably weak. One thing she knew for certain was that this ward was going to be interesting. It still angered Rize to have her meal interrupted, but it was getting late and she needed to find a new place to stay. She chuckled at the mess of her slaughter, glancing down at her blouse stained with the blood of both human and ghoul alike.

Fortunately, she had a change of clothes in her luggage. Before leaving the scene of her meal, Rize took one of the bodies with her.

xxx

Dawn broke in the city of Tokyo. The golden rays of the morning sun peered through the windows of the Soujiro apartment. The clanging sounds of Souji's alarm clock roused the young Dove from his slumber, much to his dismay. He probably celebrated a little _too_ much with his sister upon making a good impression on his new boss. He stifled the alarm with a heavy hand feeling immediate relief of silence. _"Five more minutes won't hurt…"_ Sleeping in a little longer was a comforting thought, at least to him. Souji's elder sister had another idea.

Thud. Suddenly, Souji felt the weight of a thick package land on his abdomen and with it, a rude awakening when precious oxygen suddenly left his lungs.

"Gohuu!" was the only sound that escaped the sleeping Dove's lips. His blue eyes opened to see his long-haired elder sister standing over him with a scowl on her face much to his annoyance. "Hhwha… What are you doing!?"

"How long do you plan on sleeping, Jin? Breakfast is ready!" his sister jabbed her thumb over her shoulder as a signal to hurry up and eat.

"I'll be right there, sis!" The young investigator sat up to examine the package his sibling was all too kind to give and found that it was addressed to him by the CCG. He opened it to find his Suzuya Squad uniform inside, complete with the Roman numeral XIII. Jin was ecstatic to be a part of the team. He quickly bathed then scrambled into his new duds, admiring how the black waistcoat suited him. "Looking good~" he whistled.

"Well don't you look handsome?" Jin's sister smiled handing him his meal after pouring herself another cup of coffee.

"Thanks, Kyoko. Today's my first day on the new job!" grinned the rookie after taking a bite out of his eggs.

"That's nice. I'm sure you'll do fine…" Kyoko yawned as her dark hair hung over her face. She was still dressed in her pajamas, but her glasses show that she spent another all-nighter on her manuscript. Jin could tell how exhaustion began to paint over her delicate features and felt concerned. Despite how much his big sister was a tomboy and how tough she was on him, she was also kind and looked after him.

"Another late night working on your manga?" Jin asked to which he received a sleepy nod. "Don't push yourself too much, okay sis?" After finishing his breakfast, he gave Kyoko a warm hug. The words "be careful out there" whispered in his ear and almost sounded like a plea to come home safely. The Dove simply smiled and nodded to keep his promise. He then left his home to take on his new shift with nothing but a briefcase and book of one of Marlowe's works in the other.

xxx

Blurred images flicker and dance in Rize's mind. The hands of time wind back to the days of her captivity. An old man stares into her container with a content smile on his face. His wrinkled lips part as his mouth formed the words, _"Don't worry, Miss Rize… We'll take very good care of you…"_ It was at that moment another figure emerged, a larger male, a ghoul with worried look on his bearded face. The shirtless ghoul addressed the old man as "Doctor K-…" Rize's memories could only unearth so much at this point.

She opened her eyes frustrated to be closer to the truth, but still out of reach. His face, where has she seen it before? The wandering ghoul finally found a place worthy of her standards as she readied herself to take on the day. She slipped into her casual clothes to not only keep her comfortable, but attractive as well. "Maybe the more I eat, the more I remember…" she mused at the thought. It was the only thing she had going for her. She grabbed one of her books and made her way to the 13th Ward's new café. It was a good place to start picking out her meals.

Amore Mocha, a ritzy coffee establishment that graced the shopping district with its fine beverages and classical atmosphere. Inside, a certain blue haired investigator made a small detour to place a to-go order on his coffee. While he waited along the busy to-go line, he opened the play _Doctor Faust_ and began to read. The doorbell rang upon the entry of another customer, the lovely Rize appeared like a model to some of the customers as she basked in the aroma of coffee beans. It pleased her well that she picked this place and the taste of its coffee was something she looked forward to. For the owner's sake, it'd better be good.

Rize's lavender gaze began to scan the place for potential meals as her order arrived. There was no one in particular that really stood out until she brought her attention to the young man quietly reading _Faust_ until his cup arrived. A sense of instinct started to wash over her as she took her refreshing first sip. _"Oh, he'll do~"_


End file.
